Nutrient management and productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum)based cropping systems in temperate zone

An experiment was carried out from winter season of 2004-05 to rainy season of 2006 at Srinagar to determine the impact of different nutrient management practices and cropping systems on growth, yield, nitrogen uptake and system productivity of wheat [ Triticum aestivum (L.) emend Fiori & Paol] based cropping systems. Treatments consisted of four fertility levels viz. recommended fertilizer dose (100 kg N + 60 kg P O + 30 kg K O/ha), recom- 2 5 2 mended fertilizer dose + farmyard manure 15 tonnes/ha; recommended fertilizer dose + biofertilizer and recom- mended fertilizer dose + farmyard manure 15 tonnes/ha + biofertilizer applied to wheat crop and six crop se- quences, viz. wheat rice ( Oryza sativa L.), wheat maize ( Zea mays L.); wheat sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.); wheat greengram [ Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek], wheat soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merrill] and wheat Frenchbean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Combined application of recommended fertilizer dose, farmyard manure 15 tonnes/ha and biofertilizer significantly improved wheat yield and soil nutrient status. Increase in wheat yield was to the tune of 17.5 and 23.0% over the alone application of chemical fertilizer during 2004-05 and 2005-06 respec- tively. Wheat yield and nitrogen uptake showed significant increase when grown after pulses. Yield improvement in wheat was 11 and 10% due to legume effect of greengram and Frenchbean respectively. Wheat-rice sequence proved more productive and remunerative cropping system.